Cora: Scandal wasn’t just a ‘2-man show’
Alex Cora has taken responsibility for his part in the Astros’ signstealing scandal during their world championship season of 2017, but he believes he shouldn’t take it alone.
Cora, the former Red Sox manager and Astros bench coach who received a seasonlong suspension from MLB, told ESPN that he has a problem being pegged along with Carlos Beltran, the Astros’ designated hitter that season, as the primary forces behind it.
“Ever since midNovember until the commissioner announced the results of the Red Sox investigation, I have read many things that are true and many others that are not,” Cora said. “Out of this whole process, if there is one thing that I completely reject and disagree with is people within the Astros’ organization singling me out, particularly [former general manager] Jeff Luhnow, as if I were the sole mastermind. The commissioner’s report sort of explained, in its own way, what happened. But the [Astros players] have spoken up and refuted any allegations that I was solely responsible.
“If there is one thing I am absolutely sure of, it is that it was not a two-man show. We all did it. And let me be very clear that I am not denying my responsibility, because we were all responsible.”
Cora has kept a low profile since commissioner Rob Manfred concluded his reports on the Astros and allegations that the Red Sox also had a sign-stealing operation during their 2018 title season, when Cora was manager.
“Out of respect for the investigation, I decided to stay out of the spotlight,” Cora said. “Talking about it wasn’t going to change anything. I deserve my suspension, and I’m paying the price for my actions. And I am not proud of what happened. We made a mistake as a group, the entire [Astros] team.”